IIS (Internet Information Services) is a web server software developed by Microsoft for hosting websites and web applications on Windows servers. IIS 8.5 and IIS 10 are two different versions of IIS, and they have several differences in terms of features and improvements. Here are some key differences between IIS 8.5 and IIS 10:
Windows Version: IIS 8.5 is included with Windows Server 2012 R2, while IIS 10 comes with Windows Server 2016 and Windows 10.
Performance and Scalability: IIS 10 introduces several performance improvements and optimizations compared to IIS 8.5. It includes features like HTTP/2 support, which provides better efficiency in handling concurrent requests and reduces latency.
TLS Protocol Support: IIS 10 offers enhanced support for the latest TLS (Transport Layer Security) protocols. It includes support for TLS 1.2 by default and provides better security for encrypted communications.
WebSockets: IIS 8.5 introduced support for WebSockets, which allows for real-time communication between a client and a server. IIS 10 further enhances WebSockets support by introducing full duplex communication, improved performance, and better integration with other IIS features.
Server Name Indication (SNI): IIS 8.5 supports SNI, which allows hosting multiple SSL certificates on a single IP address. However, IIS 10 expands SNI support by allowing wildcard certificates for SNI bindings, making it easier to manage SSL certificates for multiple websites.
Server Core Installation: IIS 10 provides a Server Core installation option, which allows a minimal installation footprint by excluding the graphical user interface (GUI). This results in reduced resource usage and increased security for server deployments.
HTTP Strict Transport Security (HSTS): IIS 10 adds built-in support for HSTS, which allows a website to enforce secure connections over HTTPS by automatically redirecting HTTP requests to HTTPS. This helps in improving website security and protecting against certain types of attacks.
PowerShell Version: IIS 10 includes the latest version of PowerShell (PowerShell 5.1) by default, while IIS 8.5 uses an earlier version. The newer version offers additional features, improvements, and better integration with other Microsoft products.
These are some of the notable differences between IIS 8.5 and IIS 10. It's worth mentioning that IIS 10 represents the latest version of IIS as of my knowledge cutoff in September 2021. Microsoft may release newer versions with further enhancements and features beyond that.